Figure wheeled toy



Patented Aug. l0, 1926.

UNITED STATES CHARLES G. TIEFEL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FIGURE WHEELED TOY.

Application filed .Tune 27,

This invention relates to improvements in" toys and has for its object the production of a toy comprising a toy animal ligure which will be given a lifelike movement by operation of the toy, in connection with devices for imitating the sounds made by the feet of the animal.

In its preferred form the toy comprises a wheeled vehicle of any desired form with a toy figure mounted thereo-n representing a horse and its rider. The ligure is composed of parts relatively movable to represent the movements of the corresponding parts of a horse ridden at a gallop. Suitable connections are provided whereby movement of the vehicle along a floor will effect the movements of the various parts. Associated with this figure is a noise-making device operated preferably in a timed relation with the movements of the parts to imitate the sounds made by the feet of a horse moving at a run or gallop. As will be clearer later, instead of a figure composed of relatively movable parts` a figure all in one piece might be used. This willV involve obvious changes in the manner of supporting the figure on the vehicle, but in other essentials the toy would be the same as in the preferred form. It will also be clear later that instead ofthe figure of a horse and rider the'figure of a horse only might'be employed or, in' fact, a figure representing someother animal. vIf thefigure of some other animal is used, corresponding changes can be made in the construction and operation of the noise-making device to make it give the results desired, that is, Vimitating sounds made by theV feet of such an animal when moving at a certain gait.

Another obj ect is to provide a construction whereby a toy having the various features herein referred to may be manufactured and assembled at a minimum cost without sacrificing strength and durability.

Vith these and incidental objects in view `the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, the features of novelty of which are pointed out in appended claims and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter described i with reference to the accompanying or similar partscarried by 1924. Serial No. 722,641.'

tions of the parts and the connections whereby movements of the parts are effected. It

'also shows vthe positions assumed by the parts at different points in their movements. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; f

Described in general terms the device in the accompanying drawings is a vehicle, preferably wheeled, adapted to be pushedalong the floor by a child. Mounted on this vehicle is a toy figure of a horse and ride)` Y composed of aplurality of parts which are Arelatively movabley to represent' the Amovements of the corresponding parts off` the horse and rider when moving. anism for eecting and transmitting the `movements to the parts of the figure is so The mechstrip which can be bent away from a cooperating flat'surface and then released, allowing the strip to clap against the surface as it returns to itsr normal'position. This strip is bent or flexed and released by-studs the adjacent wheel of the vehicle. 'f Y vThe wheel is also connected toone of the parts of theI figure, preferably one of the legs of the horse, and that leg is in turn connected with the other parts of the ligure -so that they all move in yproper VrelationV one with the others. The studs on the wheel may be so `spaced apart that they operate the noise-maker with reference `to the movements of the parts of the ligure so that the vsounds occur at the proper points in said movements, although accuracy in this respect is not essential to make thetoy interesting and amusing.

Described in detail and with reference to the drawings, the preferred form of the invention includes a handle or stick 10 by which the device may be operated. Journaled at one end of the handle is a wheel 11. Instead of the handle 10 and a single wheel some other form of vehicle employing two or more wheels may readily be used.

Pivoted to the handle 10 are elementsfl and 13 'representing respectively thev fore lio "member is provided with a toothed segment 15, engaging teeth on a rac-k bar 1G slidably supported by -the upper end of the hind leg element 13 and provided with teeth 17, 18 and 19 meshing respectively with toothed segments on elements 20, 2l and 22 pivoted on rivets such asrabove mentioned, The element 20 represents the tail of the horse and the element 2l the head and neck, while the element 22 repr-esents substantially the upper halln ot the rider. The exterior of the body may be shaped or painted to represent the saddle and the lower half of the rider as shown or, it it is desired to make the toy more elaborate the lower halt of the rider may be made integral with the element 22. Strings or other material may be used as shown at 23 to represent reins.

Rigid with the. tore leg element 12 is an arm 24, to which is pivotally connected one end of a link 25. The other end of the link is loosely supported by a stud or crew eccentrically mounted on the wheel 11. It is apparent that the link might readily be connected to the fore leg element l2 above the point where that element is pivoted to the handlev 10 and that by varying the point where the link is connected either to the leg or to the wheel the extent of movement imparted to the leg may be varied. This will result in a corresponding variation in the. movements of the parts as, by tracing the connections through, it will be seen that the motion imparted to the leg is transmitted to the parts 20, 21 and 22, while the body 14 will have a to and tro movement on the legs. ln Fig. 2 the eX- tremes of the movements ot' the various parts are indicated, one by the full outlines and the other by the dotted outlines. By comparing these two outlines it will be seen that when the wheel 11 is rotated the various yparts of the figure go through movements representing in an attractive way the movements of the corresponding parts oit a horse and rider moving at a lively gallop.

The device which has, for convenience, been referred to as the noise-maker, may, as before stated be ot various forms, but in the illustrative embodlmlent;l comprises a flexible strip 26 fastened at 27 to the top of the handle 10. (lo-operating with the free end oi' the strip are studs or similar projections 28 on the side of the wheel 1l. The side ot the handle is cut 'away as shown at 29 to permit the studs to pass. tls the wheel rotates the studs will successively engage the end of the strip 26 and carry it away from the upper surface of the handle 10. is the studs pass out ot' engagement with the strip the strip will snap back against the upper surface and make a clapping noise. The. studs are so arrang d on the wheel that at each rotation ol the wheel the strip will be operated three times `to produce sounds spaced apart in the way such sounds are usually spaced when imitating the sound of a running or galloping horse. it is, obviously, possible to shape the parts o'l the noise- `rer or oit theiico-operating surlaces to let anything from a clicking sound tor a small sized toy to a loud clapping noise w" ere the toy is on a larger scale. 'l/Vhile it is better to have these sounds occur in a timed relation with the movements oit the parts, it will notl detract from the attractiveness of the toy if this relation is not observed exactly and variations vtrom this relation may be made without departtroni the spirit of the invention.

"i'rhile trie 'form or embodinlent herein shown and described is admirably achtptedA to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is not the intention to be limited to this one torni, as the invention is ycapable of various modilications and changes all comingwithin the scope ot' the claims which follow.

Vilhat is claimed is 1. A device of the character described comprising a vehicle provided with a wheel, a toy ligure of a horse and 'rider mounted on the vehicle and consisting of a plurality of parts relatively movableto simulate the movements ofthe corresponding parts ol' a horse and rider when the horseV is running vor galloping, a noise-maker operable to imitate the sounds made by the feet of a galloping horse, irregularly spaced apart studs moving with the wheel tor actuating the noise-maker in a timed relation with the movements ot' the parts or" the ligure, and connections whereby rotation ot the wheel will etilect the abovel mentioned movements oi the parts of the toy ligure.

2. A device of the character described comprising a vehicle provided with a Wheel, a toy ligure representing a horse and rider, said ligure being mounted on the vehicle and comprising a movable set of parts representing the legs, the head and neck and the tail ot the horse and the. body of the rider, a connection whereby rot-ation of the wheel of the vehicle will impart movement to one ot the legs ot the horse, connections comprising a toothed rack driven by said leg and co-Operating with teeth carried 'by the rest of the parts of the ligure to actuate them llS to represent the movements of the corresponding parts of a moving horse and rider, a device operable to imitate the sounds made by the feet of a horse, and means carried by the wheel for operating said device.

3. A device of the character described comprising a handle, a wheel rotatably mounted on one end of the handle, members representing the legs of a horse pivoted at their lower ends to said handle, a member representing the body of a horse pivotally supported on the upper ends of the leg members, elements pivoted in the body to represent the neel; and the tail of the horse and the body of the rider, a connection whereby rotation or" the wheel will oscillate one of the leg members on its lower pivot, a

toothed rack within the body of the horse connected for reciprocation by said oscillated leg, and toothed connections for transmitting the movements or' the rack to the neck, tail and rider elements, devices mounted adjacent the wheel and operable to imitate the sounds made by the feet of a horse, and means carried by the wheel for operating said devices.

4. A device of the characterl described comprising a handle, a wheel rotatably mounted on one end of the handle, members representing the legs of a horse pivoted at their lower ends to said handle, a body member pivotally supported on the upper ends of the leg members, a rack, teeth integral with one of the leg members and meshing with teeth of the rack, elements pivoted in the body to represent the neck and tail of the horse and the body of the rider, said elements beino` provided with teeth mesh-v ing with teeth of the rack, connections whereby rotation of the vehicle Wheel will oscillate one of the leg members on its lower pivot, devices mounted Vadjacent the wheel operable to imitate the sounds of the feet of a horse, and means moving with the wheel for operating said devices.

5. A device of the character comprising a handle, a wheel rotatably described mounted on one end of the handle, members representing the legs of a horse pivoted at their lower ends to said handle, a member representing the body of a horse pivotally supported on the upper ends of said leg members, elements pivoted in the body to represent the neck and the tail of the horse and therbody of the rider, a connection whereby rotation of the wheel will oscillate one of the leg members on its lower pivot, a toothed racl; within the body of the horse connected for reciprocation by said oscillated leg, and toothed connections for transmitting movements of the rack to theneclr, tail and rider elements.

In testimony whereof I hereto afHX my signature.

CHARLES G. TIEFEL. 

